Federal government has planned to provide Karachiites with the National Health Card with officials in the health department saying that it would only cost Rs16 billion annually to provide the service to permanent residents of Karachi.

The national health ministry officials said the permanent residents of Karachi would be benefitted from the facility and the program could be launched even if the Sindh government refuses to become a part of it.

“The entire population of the Sindh province could get the health card with the expense of upto Rs50 billion annually,” they said and added that the Sindh government currently has a budget allocation of Rs170 billion for the health sector.

The health ministry officials shared that upto 40 percent of the Karachi population already avails health cards’ facilities owing to their permanent residence in other provinces where the scheme has already been launched.

“The remaining Karachi population also has the right to get access to the health facility,” they said.

They further shared that a network of 700 hospitals are currently been linked with the National Sehat Card and they are planning to add 300 more hospitals from Karachi and other areas to the network.

It is pertinent to mention here that Prime Minister Imran Khan had urged the Sindh government to launchthe health card scheme in the province.

“Sindh government should launch health card program in order to provide Rs1 million health insurance cover to every family,” he added.